The present invention relates to a machine tool center with at least one machine tool which has a working space accessible through an operator door to process workpieces, a loading/unloading station for the workpieces and a loading device which transports the workpieces between the loading/unloading station and the respective machine tool and changes these at the machine tool.
1. Field of the Invention
Such machine tool centers are generally known.
2. Related Prior Art
In the known machine tool centers the loading devices are arranged in front of the respective machine tools which are installed alongside one another either in a straight line or in a circle. The loading device displays an appliance which moves back and forth between the loading/unloading station and the respective machine tool and hereby transports workpieces. In this way a large number of machine tools can be loaded by one single loading/unloading station at which the workpieces to be processed are input and from which the finished workpieces are also removed.
The loading device hereby often operates on the same level as the operator door and changes the workpieces in the machine tool through this door. The operator door is, however, simultaneously used for set-up and service work, in other words for maintenance, to change tools, to verify tools or certain geometric factors, etc.
If a fault occurs in one of the machine tools in the known machine tool center or service work becomes necessary the respective operator must reach “past the loading device” through the operator door into the working space of the machine tool to carry out the necessary work. However, this also means that the other machine tools in the machine tool center can no longer be served by the loading device if the safety of the operator is given priority.
In other words, as long as the operator is busy with one of the machine tools through the operator door the appliance cannot move the loading device past this machine tool without endangering the operator.